Team had to rein in Xbox chief on backwards compatibility

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Xbox supremo Phil Spencer has admitted he spent months wishing he could warn people not to get rid of their old Xbox 360 games as Microsoft built up to its big reveal about the Xbox One's backwards compatibility.

Speaking to gaming bible Edge, Spencer said that he's been close to spoiling the announcement on social media.

"This, for me, as a gamer and as somebody who cares so much about the brand, has been the hardest thing about not leaking it," he said. "I've wanted to tell people, 'Hold onto your 360 games!'"

Hundred times

"There were a hundred times where people had to stop me from tweeting that out over the past six months, because as I would see a game that works I wanted to tell people: 'Keep it – don't sell that! Even if you sell your 360, keep your games!'"

The backwards compatibility arriving for the Xbox One has been warmly received by gamers, allowing them to dig out the old classics for a bit of nostalgia, or at least until a next-gen replacement arrives.